Adjustable crank



J. M. FEENEY. w ADJUSTABLE CRANK. APPLICATION FILED APR.25. I921.

13415211798; PatentedSept. 5, 1922.

Patented Sept. 5, 1922.

JOHN FEENEY, OF BRIDGEPOIRT, CONNECTICUT.

ADJUSTABLE CRANK.

Application flied April 25, 1921. SeriaI No. 464,271.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that, 1, JOHN W. FEENEY, a citizen of the "United States,residing at Bridgeport, county ofFairfield, State of Connecticut,havcinvcnted an Improvement in Adjustable Cranks, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to means for attaching handles to shafts, andespecially, although not exclusively, to means for attaching a crankhandle to the combined operating shaft and feed screw of a food chopperor the like wherein it is frequently necessary to detach the handle inorder to remove the feed -screws for cleaning or other purposes,

and wherein it is desirable that means he provided for tightening thehandle longitudinally of the shaft in order that the cutter carried bythe lattermay be held in close engagement with its cooperating fixedcutter. v

The invention has for its primary object to provide a quick detachablecrank handle for machines of the character referred to and others, saidhandle having means whereby its longitudinal position on the sh aft maybe readily adjusted, the adjustment having once been made beingunaffected by the remova-l or repla'cementof the handle, and theadjusting means being of such character as in no way to interfere withthe latter operation. With the foregoing and other objects in view Ihave devised the novel crank handle connection which I will nowdescribe, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein: i

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the end of the shaft with the crank handledetached. Fig.2 is an end elevation and 3 a side elevation of the crankand shaft, showing the parts in the relative positions occupied afterthe first movement involved in at taching the crank to the shaft.

Fig. 4; is a section on the line M, ,Fig. 3, showing the crank and shaftfully connected. 10 denotes a shaft journalled in a bearing 11, and 15 acrank handle adapted for atthe shaft 10 The which is attached to the endof the shaft 10 by means of a form of bayonetjoint comprising a suitablenumber (here n four) of circumferentially disposed ribs or lugs 12formed on said shaft and spaced from each other, and from a shoulder 18,on the shaft adjacent the outer face of the bearing '11, to rece ve acorresponding number of coacting circumferential ribs or lugs 17 formedon the interior of the hub 16. The lugs or ribs 12 are spacedlongitudinally of the shaft to provlde circumferential grooves 13through which the ribs or lugs 17, may be passed cir cumferentially ofthe shaft, said lastnamed ribs or lugs being similarly longitudinallyspaced to permit the passage of the lugs 12 when the parts are so moved.The lugs 12 are also spaced from each other circumferentially of theshaft and from longitudinal rlbs 1 1 to provide longitudinal grooves 13.To apply the crank handle 15 to the shaft, said crank handle is placedin an angular position with respect to the shaft in which the lugs 17register with thegrooves .13, as shown in Fig. 2, is then movedlongitudinally of the shaft to bring the lugs 17 opposite the spaces13between' the lugs 12and between the innermost of said. lugs and theshoulder 18, as shown. in Fig. 3,,and is then given an angular movementin the direction in which said crank handle is intended to turn theshaft to carry said lugs 17 into said spaces, as shown in Fig. 4:, saidangular movement being limited by engagement of the lugs 17 with thelongitudinal ribs 14: on the shaft adjacent the grooves 13, therebyproviding a positive driving connection between said crank handle andshaft.

The inner end of the crank handle 15, in-

cluding the hub 16, is split to form two arms 15 and 15 connected beyondsaid hub by a clamp screw 19 which maybe operated to move the sectionsof said hub, and the lugs 17 which are carried thereby respectively,radially of the shaft. The lugs 12 are formed with inner faces 20 whichare inclined longitudinally of the shaft, said faces constituting camsurfaces which are engaged by the lugs 17 onthe crank handle when thelatter is in operative position on the shaft. The lugs 12 and 17 are sodesigned and positioned as to permit a certain amount of longitudinallost motion between the handle and shaft when the clamp screw 19 isloosened, and when said clamp screw is tightened-t0 move the lugs 17inwardly in a radial direction upon the shaft, engagement of said lugs17 with the cam surfaces 20 will cause the crank handle to be forcedlongitudinally of the shaft in the direction of the bearing 11, therebycausing the inner sideflof the hub 16 to engage said bearing with anydesired degree of tightness, and producing an outward pull upon theshaft in order to force the cutter or other part carried thereby intothe desired position.

In operation, the clamp screw 19 is loo ened and the crank handleapplied to the shaft by successive longitudinal and angular movements asabove explained, whereupon said clamp screw is tightened to such anextent as may be found necessary in order to produce the desiredtightness of the parts. Thereafter, when it becomes necessary for anyreason to remove the handle, this may be quickly doneby reversing theabove de scribed operations by which. said handle is attached,'thesetting of the clamp screw 19 being left undisturbed, so thatwhen saidhandle isjagain attached it will automatically assume the adjustedposition previously determined.

, It will thus be seen that means are provided whereby the handle may beeasily and quickly attached and detached when desired, and whereby thedesired tightening adjustment can be easily effected, said adjustment,when once having been made, being in no way disturbed by the subsequentremoval and replacement of the handle, so as to re quire no subsequentattention other than that whichmay be necessitated by wear or otherchange in conditions. It will also he noted that the tighteningadjustment is in dependent of the angular movement of the handle, whichis otherwise in positive driving engagement with the shaft. saidtightening adjustment being effected solely by op eration of the clampscrew 19, and being limited by the extent of operation of the latter, sothat subsequent operation of the handle does not in any way tend toincrease the tightness of the parts.

Having thus described my claim:

1. The combination with a shaft and a handle for turning said shaft. ofcooperating means on said handle and shaft and engaged by relativemovement of said shaft and handle for attaching said handle to saidshaft and for tightening said handle longitudinally of said shaft, saidmeans being operated in one direction to effect the tight ening of saidhandle and in a different direction to complete the attachment of saidhaninvention, I

i dle to said shaft.

,' shaft, and the adjustment being unaffected by relative move nent ofsaid handle and, shaft to attach and detach said handle.

3. The combination with a shaft and a the projection on said shaft toretain said I handle on said shaft and engageable therewith by relativemovement of said shaft and handle in one direction, one of saidprojections being movable in another direction and one having a camsurface engageable with the other of said projections to cause 'atightening of said handle longitudinally of said shaft.

5. The combination with a shaft having a retaining projection, of ahandle having a projection cooperating with the projection on said shafttoretain said handle on said shaft, said projections being engaged byrelative angular movement of said shaft and handle, one of saidprojections having a cam surface and one being movable radially of saidshaft to cause engagement of said cam surface with the other of saidprojections to move said handle longitudinally of said shaft.

6. The combination with a shaft having a retaining projection, of ahandle having a split hub provided with an interior projection to engagethe projection on said shaft and retain said handle on said shaft, oneof said projections having a cam surface, and a clamp screw forcontracting said hub about said shaft, engagement of said cam surfacewith the other of said projections causing longitudinal movement of saidhandle on said shaft.

7. The combination with a shaft having a circumferentially disposed ribformed with a longitudinally inclined. inner face, of a handle having acircumferentially disposed rib cooperating with the rib on said shaft toretain said handle on said shaft, the rib on said handle being radiallymovable to engage the inclined inner face of the rib on said shaft andmove saidhandle longitudinally of said shaft.

8. The combination with a. shaft having a retainingprojection, of ahandle having a projection cooperating with the projection on said shaftto retain said handle on said shaft, said projections being engaged byrelative angular movement of said shaft and handle, one of saidprojections having a cam surface and theprojection on said handle beingmovable radially of said shaft to cause engagement of said cam surfacewith the other of said. projections and move said handle longitudinallyof said shaft, and means for limiting the relative angular movement ofsaid shaft and handle to provide a positive driving connectiontherebetween.

9. The combination with a shaft having a circumferentially disposed ribformed with a longitudinally inclined inner face and a longitudinallydisposed rib, of a handle having a circumferentially disposed ribcooperating with the circumferentially disposed rib on said shaft toretain said handle on said shaft and with said longitudinally disposed.rib to provide a positive driving con nection between said handle andshaft, the rib on said handle being radially movable to engage theinclined inner face of the circumferentially disposed rib on said shaftand move said handle longitudinally of said shaft.

10. The combination with a shaft having a circumferentially disposed ribformed with a longitudinally inclined inner face, of a handle having asplit hub provided with an interior circumferentially disposed ribcooperating with the rib on said shaft to retain said handle on saidshaft, and a clamp screw for contracting said hub about said shaft,engagement of the rib on said hub with the inclined inner face ,of therib on said shaft causing longitudinal movement of said handle on saidshaft.

11. The combination with a shaft having a cireumferentially disposed ribformed with a longitudinally inclined inner face and alongitudinallydisposed rib, of a handle having a split hub provided withan interior circumferentially disposed rib cooperating with thecircumferentially disposed rib on said shaft to retain said handle onsaid shaft and with said longitudinally disposed rib to provide apositive driving connection between said handle and shaft, and a clampscrew for contracting said hub about said shaft, engagement of the ribonsaid hub with the inclined inner face of the rib on said shaft causinglongitudinal movement of said handle on said shaft.

12. The combination with a shaft having a retaining projection and abearing in which said shaft is journalled, of a handle on said shaftadjacent said bearing and having a projection cooperating with theprojection on said shaft to retain said handle on said shaft, one ofsaid projections having cam surface engagement of which with the otherof said projection causes said handle to be forced into engagement withsaid bearing with a limited adjustable pressure.

13. The combination with a shaft having a retaining. projection and abearing in which said shaft is journalled, of a handle on said shaftadjacent said bearing and havprojection cooperating with the projectionon said shaft to retain said handle on sai l shaft, said projectionsbeing engaged by relative angular movement of said shaft and handle, oneof said projections having a cam surface and one being movable radiallyof said shaft to cause engagement of said cam surface with the other ofsaid projections to move said handle against said bear- 14:. Thecombination with a shaft having a retaining projection and a bearinginwhich said shaft is journalled, of a handle on said shaft adjacentsaid bearing and having a projection cooperating with the projection onsaid shaft to retain said handle on said shaft, said projections beingengaged by relative angular movement of said shaft and handle, one ofsaid projections having a cam surface and one being movable radially ofsaid shaft to cause engagement of said cam surface with the other ofsaid projections to move said handle against said bearing, and aprojection on said shaft engaged by the projection on said handle tolimit the relative angular movement of said shaft and handle and providea positive driving connection therebetween.

15. The combination of a shaft and a handle for turning the shaft, ofcooperating means on said handle and shaft and engageable by relativelongitudinal and circumferential movements of the handle and shaft toattach the handle to the shaft, and means for adjusting the position ofthe handle longitudinally of the shaft.

In testimony whereof I afiix mysignature.

JOHN M. FEENEY.

